"WHAT ARE COMPOSITES?"

Click here for a printer-friendly version of this page (Click here for System Requirements)

Volume 3:

THE HISTORY OF FIBER

Fiber, mainly known as old textile, were produced thousands of years ago as linen, cotton, wood, hemp, and silk. The first synethetic fiber developed by man was nylon.

Some fibers are organic, and some are inorganic. The most famous fiber is silk, produced by the silkworm, and the strongest fiber is produced by a spider. This fiber is produced in low quantities for special ballistic applications.

Nylon was introduced in 1938/39. All of our grandmothers and mothers were happy to see this new revolutionary produce on "stockings" at the beginning of the Second World War in 1940. The military and the industry has been working very hard to develop and invent new fibers. We can see the results today. The invention of the nitrocellulose fiber was in 1855. Production of polyester started in 1946. Acrylic fiber was introduced in 1948. Polypropylene was introduced in 1954. Kevelar was invented in 1968, and a high density polyethelene fiber was developed in 1978. The latest fiber introduced at the end of our century was Zylon.

Legal Notice:

This material may not be published, broadcast, copied, rewritten or redistributed in any form without Composites Atlantic Limited authorization. Copyright ©2000 Composites Atlantic Limited. All rights reserved.